Elevating-truck



- 0, w. SPONSEL, ELEVA TING TRUCK. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10. 1920.

1,367,926; Patented Eek-8, 1921.

3 SHEETS-8M1] li. [nuentar Atty 'C. W. SPONS EL. ELE VATING TRUCK. Ai mcmon mm mm. m, 1920.

1,367,926. Patented Feb. 8,1921.-

' Y 3 SHEETS-SHE ET 3- UNITED STA'ILES PATENT OFFICE.

cHAELEs w. SPONSEL, E wErHEEsEIEED, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE FAIR- BANKS COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ELEVA'I'ING-TRUCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

Application filed. March 10, 1920. Serial No. 384,659.

To oil whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. SPoNsEL, citizen of the United States, residing at We? hersfield, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Elevating- Trucks, of which the following is a specification.

T his invention relates to those trucks which are designed to be rolled under platforms, racks, bins or containers on or in which are placed or piled machines, stock, merchandise or loads of other material, in shops, mills, freight houses, storerooms and manufacturing and mercantile establishments,.and elevated for bodily lifting the load from the floor upon which it rests and transferring it to and depositing it at another locality without the necessity of directly handling or piling and repiling the articles, goods or material to be transferred.

The object of the invention is to provide a. strong, durable, easily operated and relatively inexpensive apparatus of this nature which is so constructed that the elevator section of the truck will move vertically when raised for receiving and lifting a load and. when lowered for depositing a load, thus permitting operation in a contracted space and allowing the load to be placed close to a wall or another load, also obviating the neccssity of holding the truck fixed during the lifting and lowering operations, which elevator section is raised by a simple and powerful mechanism that is actuated in the same direction for lifting and for releasing the raised section and permitting it to lower under the weight of the load quietly and gently, obviating danger to the operator,

and damage to the goods, truck and floor,

and which is so designed that when the elevator is sustaining a load the actuating parts are on center or in such relation that they are locked, thus relieving the elevating mechanism from excess strain and eliminating all danger of the load accidentally dropping while being transferred from place to place. which transferring is accomplished through the elevating handle that is readily '5 disconnected without unlocking the elevating mechanism when it is necessary to use it for drawing the load from one locality to another.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing shows a plan of a truck which embodies the invention. Fig. 2 shows a central longitudinal section of the truck, with the parts in the positions occupied when the elevator sectlon is raised. Fig. 3 is a similar view, with the elevator section lowered. Fig. 4 is a view looking toward the front end of the truck. Fig. 5, on larger scale, shows in do tall the elevator actuating mechanism. Fig. 6 1s a diagrammatic view showing the movements of the members which connect the elevator with the body section.

The body two longitudinally extending side plates 1, preferably steel or malleable iron. connected at the rear end by a rod 2 and at the front end by a triangular head 3 which is desirably cast to shape. is supported by a pair of wheels 4 secured to an axle 5 which has its end held in bearmg plates 6 that are secured to the side plates. At the front end there is a single supporting wheel 7 on an axle 8 with intervening anti-friction bearings 9. This axle is held at its ends in hearings in a downwardly extending yoke 10 wh ch is fasened to a pivot stud 11 that extends up through the head. Anti-friction bearings 12 are arranged between the top of the yoke and the under side of the head and a collar 13 is fastened on the upper end of the pivot stud to retain it in place. Pivotally mounted on the ends of a pin 14 which extends through the pivot stud and collar are the L-shaped plates. 15 between wh ch the lower end of the operating and drawing handle 16 issecured.

The elevator frame which is somewhat smaller than the body frame comprises two longitudinally extending plates 17, preferably steel or malleable iron, which are connected at, their ends by rods 18. The elevator frame near each end is connected with the body frame by two similar jointed members. Each of these four members cons ss of two corresponding members 19 which embrace and are pivotally connected with or: fulcrumed on the side plate of the body frame and two corresponding links 20 which embrace and are pivotally connected with the side plate of the elevator frame. The rod 21 that forms the pivotal connection beframe of the truck comprises At the rear end the body tween the link members andjthe elevator will act-together.

by a rod 22 which extends across beneath the extends longitudinally. in a plane directly below the side plate of the body frame. As thecnds of the duplicated members 19 and 20 extend on both sides of the frame plates and as those on opposite sides and at both ends are connected together the structure may be built oi light material and yet have the requisite strength to stand the heavy uses to which these trucks are put.

The members 19 turn freely on fixed points and serve to impart force or motion from a source of power,applied-through the bars 24, to a source of resistance, the load on the links 20, or in other words, the members 19 swing on fulcrums and change the sub .stantially horizontal pull of the bars to a lifting or substantially vertical force on thelinksQO. V

The cross rod the. rear link members with the elevator 3 frame, is connected with the cross rodare fas ened.

that extends across and hinges together the front link members, by a yielding connection or fluid check of common construction. This check has a cylinder 25 joined by a yoke 26 with the rod 22 and a piston rod 27 joined to the rod 21,.the piston rod drawing outwardly from the cylinder freely and bemg retarded by the fluid pressure within when moving inward, in the well known p manner or such checks. This permits the d stance between the rear rod 21 and. the front rod 22 to be increased w thout obstructionybut insures a slow and unif rm shortening, of the distance between rod "Secured to, the under side of the her i a pair oi blocks 28avhich support a shaft 29. ,On the ends o't this shaft cranlr arms arms'are ioined by a pair of connecting rods 31' with the front cross rod 22; When the crank armsare in one extreme position the .nie1i1bers 19 and 20 are in such relation that the tonof the elevatorframeand the top of th ebody frame are in the same plane, '3, but when the cranl: arms are turned to V the o her e itreme positionthe members 19 and '20 are turned in such manner as to lift the elevator frame above the plane of the body frame, 2. The crank arms are so attached to the crank shaft that when the V elevator frame. is fullvjraised the center ot the shaft is in a. linebetween the center of Q therod 22 andthe center ofthe pivotal con,-

91 that pivotally connects The cues of these crank,

7 those members ofwl V the elevator came sanding ve tically and those membcnszw i h are pivoted to the body' are attached to the cranks.

under these conditioners d rectly toward V the crankshaft the eleva or remains llli teflnection of the connecting rods with the cranks, or in other words, when the elevator frame is up the cranks are on'center and the elevator frame cannot be lowered until the cranks are turned oii' from center. Attached to the inside near tl e middle of each of the body frame plates is a vertical guide 04 and attached to the outside or each one'of the elevator frame plates are guides 38, these guides cooperating to form a way which insures the vertical movement oi the elevator frame when it is raised and lowered.

Keyed on the crank siait is a ratchet 34%;, engaging with which. are a stop pawl 35 and an actuating pawl 36, the latter pawl being mounted on a pivot pin 37 between a pair of plates 38 loosely hun on thecrank shaft. The ends of the pawl pivoting pin are extended beyond the plates and. connected with the lower ends of pair of curved links 39. The upper ends of these links are joined by a rod 4:0 which is adapted to enter slots all in the projecting: ends of the L-shaped handle plates 15. The ends of this rod are extended beyond the sides of the handle plates so that they maybe readily pushed out from the slots when it is desired to disengagge the handle from'the elevator actuating mechanism, for instance when the handle is to be used for drawing the truck.

The pawl plates have shoulders 42*adapted v to engage with vertical surtaces 43 on the under side of the head for limiting the up ward'swing oi the pawl, and they have surfaces 4-4 adapted to engage the horizontal surfaces l5 or limitingthedownward swine; of the pawl.

NV'hen the handle of this truck isoscillaterh through the curved links. pawl and ratchet, the cranks are given an intermittent rotation and this through the connecting rods and links'swings the lower ends o't the jointed members 19 20 forward. This I movement, as the elevator section cannot move forward, causes theelevator section to rise vertically. With the cranks on center frame is in its highest position, and when in this position the link members which are pivoted to it stand substantially vertical.- Vllith the par torirame I V pended on the iointedmembers 19 andQQ,

frame tendino; under the weight to swing back "ard. but beinaheld from such moveare pivoted to l in front of the crank shaft the'elevator l1?) 7 s in these relations the elevaand any load it carries is sus V ment bvthe connecting links and rods which 1 re 'ardless of the weight placed upon it.

When it is desired to lower the'elevator its this pull crates easily to lift heavy the handle, which through the pawl and ratchet rotates the cranks in the same direction as previously rotated until the cranks pass the center and then the weight of the load causes the elevator to descend. but this descent is easy for the reason that the movement is controlled by the fluid check. lVith or without a load on the truck the handle may be disconnected from the curved links by pushing the pin which connects the upper ends of the links from the slots in the ends of the handle plates and then the truck may be drawn by the handle and turned in any desired way. As the cranks are on cenfor when the elevator is raised and is carr ing a load, the locking of the parts does not depend upon the engagement of the handle plates with the links which oscillate the pawl. T he simple mechanism described oploads; it supports the loads firmly; is easily released; and lowers the loads gently.

The invention claimed is 1. An elevating truck comprising a body frame, wheels supporting said frame, an elevator frame, downwardly extending members with their upper ends fulcrumed to the body frame, oownwardly extending links connecting the lower ends of said members with the elevator frame, said members and links supporting the elevator frame within the body frame, means extending longitudinally of and below the frames, connecting the lower ends of the members, and means for reciprocating said member connecting means.

.2. An elevating truck comprising a body frame. wheels supporting said frame, an elevator frame, downwardly extending memers with their upper ends fulcrumed to the body frame, downwardly extending links with their upper ends pivoted to the elevator fr me, pivots connecting the lower ends of said members and links, and means connected with said pivotal connection between the members and links for oscillating the memand through the links raising and lowering the elevator frame.

3. An elevating truck comprising a body in e, wheels supporting said frame, an elevat-or frame, downwardly extending members 1th their upper ends fulcrumed to the bod raine on both sides at each end, downwardly extending links with their upper ends pivotally connected to the elevator on both sides at each end and their lower ends pivotally connected to said mem bers, said members and links supporting the elevator frame, means extending across below the frames and connecting the lower ends of the members and links, means extending lengthwise below the frames and connecting the lower ends of the members and links, and means for swinging back and forth said lengthwise connecting means.

4. An elevating truck'comprising abody frame, wheels supporting said frame, an elevator frame, downwardly extending members with their upper ends fulcrumed to the body frame on both sides at each end, downwardly extending links with their upper ends pivoted to the elevator frame, transverse rods pivotally connecting the lower ends of said members and links on opposite sides at each end, longitudinal rods on both sides and connecting said pivot rods at each end, and means for reciprocating said longitudinal connecting rods and oscillating all the members and links together for raising and lowering the elevator frame.

5. An elevating truck comprising a body frame, wheels supporting said frame, an elevator frame, downwardly extending members with their upper ends fulcrumed to the body frame on both sides at each end, downwardly extending links with their upper ends nivotall 7 connected to the elevator frame on both sides at each end, means below the frames connecting all of said members and links, and means connected with said connecting means below the frames for oscillating all of said members and links coincidently.

6. An elevating truck comprising a body frame, wheels supporting said frame, an elevator frame, downwardly extending members with their upper ends fulcrumed to the body frame on both sides at each end, downwardly extending links with their upper ends pivotally connected to the elevator frame on both sides at each end and their lower ends pivotally connected to said members, said levers and links supporting the elevator frame, means extending'across below the frames and connecting the lower ends of the members and links, means extending lengthwise below the frames and connecting the lower ends of the members and links, means for swinging back and forth said lengthwise connecting means, and means extending between the lower ends of the links at one end and upper ends of the links at the other end of the frames for retarding the downward movement of the elevator frame. 7

7. An elevating truck comprising a body frame, wheels supporting said frame, an elevator frame, downwardly extending memhere with their upper ends fulcrumed to the and links, means for swinging back and forth said lengthwise connecting means, and a fiuid check connecting the lowerends of the links at one end with the upper ends of the links at the other end.

8.,An elevating truck comprising a body frame, wheels supporting said frame, an ele vator frame, downwardly extending membars with their upper ends fulcrumed to the body frame, downwardly extending links connecting the lower ends of said members with the elevator frame, saidmembers and links supporting the elevator frame within thebody frame,xbars extending longitudinally below the frames and connecting the lower ends of'the members, cranks connected with said bars, a ratchet and pawl for re volving said cranks, and a handle for oscillating said pawl. 1

9. An elevating truck comprising a body frame, wheels supporting said frame, an elevator frame, downwardly extending members with their upper ends fulorumed to the body frame, downwardly extending links with their upper ends pivoted to the elevator frame, pivots connecting the lower ends of said members and links, bars connecting the lower. ends of the members, cranks connected with said bars, a ratchet and pawl for re volving said cranks, links for oscillating said pawl, a handle for drawing the truck, and means for connecting said handle and links. p

10. An elevating truck comprising a head, a body frame attached to said head, wheels supporting said head and frame, an elevator frame within the body'frame, downwardly extending members with their upper ends fnlcrumed to the body frame on'both sides at each end, downwardly extending links with their upper ends pivotally connected to the elevator frame on both sides ateac'h end, means below the framesfconnecting all of said members and links, a ratchet mounted in the under side of the head, a pawl for rotating the ratchet, links supporting said pawl, a swiveled draft handle, and links con" nected with the pawl supporting links and adapted to be en aged by the draft handle.

7 CfiARLES W. sPo sEL. 

